The subject of the book; its connection with Joshua

The Book of Judges is the history of the failure of
Israel. Joshua sets before us the energy of God acting in the
midst of the people, though there may be failure. In Judges we see
the miserable state of the nation, now become unfaithful; and, at
the same time, the intervention of the God of mercy in the
circumstances into which their unfaithfulness had brought
them. These interventions correspond with what are called
revivals in the history of the church of God.

The people's sorrowful history and God's grace and
compassions

In this book we no longer see blessing and power marking the
establishment of the people of God. Neither does it contain the
fulfilment of God's purposes, after the people had manifested
their inability to retain the blessing they had received, that
indeed is yet to come for them, and for the assembly; nor the
forms and government which, in spite of the evil and internal
unfaithfulness of the people, could maintain their external
unity, until God judged them in their leaders. God was still the
only leader acknowledged in Israel; so that the people themselves
always bore the penalty of their sin.

The misery into which their unfaithfulness brought them moving
the compassion of God, His mighty grace raised up deliverers by
His Spirit in the midst of the fallen and wretched people. "For
his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel." "And Jehovah
raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those
that spoiled them." "And when Jehovah raised them up judges, then
Jehovah was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hands
of their enemies, all the days of the judge; for it repented
Jehovah because of their groanings by reason of them that
oppressed them and vexed them." But Israel was unchanged. "And
yet they would not hearken unto their judges." "And it came to
pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned and corrupted
themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to
serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their
own doings, nor from their stubborn ways." This is the sorrowful
history of the people of God; but it is also the history of the
grace of God, and of His compassions towards His people.